Star Trek: The Original Series - 152 - The Weight of Worlds by Greg Cox

Author:Greg Cox [Cox, Greg]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Media Tie-In, General
ISBN: 9781476702858
Google: m6HJ6gOmHwwC
Amazon: B008J48O6G
Barnesnoble: B008J48O6G
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2013-03-26T07:00:00+00:00

TEN

“Please, eat. Restore yourselves.”

The underground train sped through the abandoned tunnels. In the luxury car, Kirk helped himself to a plate of fresh fruits, vegetables, and alien antipasto provided by Vlisora and her fellow freethinkers. The exotic morsels were tangy but refreshing. Kirk hadn’t realized how hungry he was until now.

Native attire had been supplied as well. A pair of hooded ponchos, made of a metallic bronze fabric, were draped over a nearby stack of relics, for him and Spock to wear when they had to venture out into the open again. Kirk assumed local garb would be less conspicuous than their battered Starfleet uniforms.

“I appreciate your hospitality,” he told Vlisora, who was seated opposite him. Lasem had left to check on his people, leaving the High Priestess alone with the fugitives. “And my compliments to your chef.”

“Indeed,” Spock said. Being a vegetarian, he refrained from sampling the meatier tidbits. “It is logical that we take advantage of this opportunity to replenish our energies.”

“Especially if we’re going to take out that portal,” Kirk said. “The way I see it, that’s our first priority. We need to stop the Crusade from spreading further into our universe, no matter what.”

Spock did not disagree, but raised an important caveat. “You realize, of course, that destroying the portal might trap both of us here permanently?”

“If that’s what it takes,” Kirk said grimly. “Ideally, we’ll time matters so that one or both of us make it back through the rift before the portal is closed, possibly with the help of our friend here.” He looked hopefully at Vlisora. “But, one way or another, we need to shut down that portal for good.”

“And what of our world?” she protested. “Surely you don’t intend to abandon us?”

Kirk sighed. “I explained before. The Prime Directive—”

“—is no excuse for leaving Ialat under the oppressive weight of the Crusade,” she insisted, her golden spines bristling along the top of her head. “I did not risk all to bring you across the rift simply to have you flee back to your own universe before confronting the God-King!”

“Your husband,” Kirk clarified. “I admit I’m still a bit puzzled by that. How is it that you’ve ended up on opposite sides?”

Her indignant tentacles sagged, falling flat against her bare scalp.

“Strange as it may seem, we were once very much in love. Our union was ordained by our roles in society, but we were happy together . . . until the discovery of your universe turned our understanding of reality upside down, throwing timeless beliefs into question. Jaenab took this shock deeply to heart, perhaps because of his profound connection to our people, perhaps because this new revelation struck at the very roots of his identity and authority. In any event, I could only watch in dismay as the husband-king I loved slipped away from me, seizing upon a militantly absolutist interpretation of the ancient texts, until even I dared not speak against the Crusade.”

Her black eyes moistened. A golden tear trickled down the elegant planes of her face.

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